Door County in 5 days

Wisconsin's Cape Cod: lighthouses, cherries, and 300 miles of shoreline Best time to visit: May to October. Average daily budget: $140 to $230.

Day 1, Get oriented

Base: Fish Creek, The busiest village with shops, galleries, and Peninsula State Park on its doorstep.

Morning: Experience a traditional fish boil. Whitefish, potatoes, and onions boiled over an open fire, finished with a dramatic boil-over of flames. Rowleys Bay and the Old Post Office in Ephraim are classics.

Afternoon: Explore Fish Creek, The busiest village with shops, galleries, and Peninsula State Park on its doorstep.

Evening: Watch sunset over Eagle Harbor. Ephraim's waterfront and Sister Bay's marina both face west. Bring a cherry pie slice and join the nightly ritual.

Eat: Al Johnson's Swedish Restaurant for pancakes with lingonberries, under a grass roof with goats

Day 2, Iconic sights

Base: Ephraim, The prettiest village, all white clapboard buildings on Eagle Harbor, with deep Norwegian roots.

Morning: Climb Cana Island Lighthouse. Cross the rocky causeway to this 1869 lighthouse and climb 97 steps for views over Lake Michigan.

Afternoon: Explore Ephraim, The prettiest village, all white clapboard buildings on Eagle Harbor, with deep Norwegian roots.

Evening: Hike Peninsula State Park. Wisconsin's most visited park has Eagle Tower's accessible ramp, cliff-top trails, and the summer outdoor theater American Folklore Theatre.

Eat: Wilson's in Ephraim for old-fashioned ice cream since 1906

Day 3, Local neighbourhoods

Base: Sister Bay, The northern hub with the best restaurants, a marina, and Al Johnson's goats-on-the-roof restaurant.

Morning: Pick cherries or visit a cherry orchard. Door County grows millions of pounds of Montmorency cherries. Pick your own in July or visit year-round for cherry wine, jam, and pie.

Afternoon: Explore Sister Bay, The northern hub with the best restaurants, a marina, and Al Johnson's goats-on-the-roof restaurant.

Evening: Washington Island, reached by ferry, with its lavender farms and the Stavkirke church. A local favourite most visitors miss, worth the detour.

Eat: The White Gull Inn for its famous cherry-stuffed French toast

Day 4, Day trip or nature

Base: Sturgeon Bay, The county seat and working harbor town with shipyards, museums, and cheaper lodging.

Morning: Cave Point County Park's wave-carved limestone cliffs and underwater caves. A local favourite most visitors miss, worth the detour.

Afternoon: Explore Sturgeon Bay, The county seat and working harbor town with shipyards, museums, and cheaper lodging.

Evening: The Farm, a living museum of pioneer rural life near Sturgeon Bay. A local favourite most visitors miss, worth the detour.

Eat: Wild Tomato for wood-fired pizza after a day in the parks

Day 5, Slow finish

Base: Fish Creek, The busiest village with shops, galleries, and Peninsula State Park on its doorstep.

Morning: Slow start: coffee in Fish Creek, then an unhurried walk before the heat or the crowds.

Afternoon: Explore Fish Creek, The busiest village with shops, galleries, and Peninsula State Park on its doorstep.

Evening: Dinner at Al Johnson's Swedish Restaurant for pancakes with lingonberries, under a grass roof with goats, then a quiet drink wherever the locals are in Fish Creek.

Eat: Al Johnson's Swedish Restaurant for pancakes with lingonberries, under a grass roof with goats

Hidden gems

Washington Island, reached by ferry, with its lavender farms and the Stavkirke church
Cave Point County Park's wave-carved limestone cliffs and underwater caves
The Farm, a living museum of pioneer rural life near Sturgeon Bay

Getting around

A car is essential; the villages string along 70 miles of peninsula roads. Bikes work well between the northern villages, and ferries serve Washington Island from Northport.

Safety

Very safe, small-town America. Watch for deer on roads at dusk, cold lake water even in summer, and slippery rocks at Cave Point when waves are up.

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